INDEX

Chapter 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS

CHAPTER 2 DISEASE PREVENTIONArticle 6. Animal Disease Prevention

CHAPTER 3 ANIMAL DISEASE CONTROL

CHAPTER 4 Administration for Animal Disease Prevention and Control

CHAPTER 5 FINAL PROVISIONS

AUTHENTIC IN LAO ONLY

LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
Peace Independence Democracy Unity Prosperity

Government   No 228/GoL
Vientiane Capital, dated 31 May 2012

Decree
On The Prevention and Control of Animal Disease

  • Pursuant to the Law of the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic No. 02/NA, dated on 6th May 2003.
  • Pursuant to the Law on Livestock Production and Veterinary Matters No. 03/NA, dated 25th July 2008.
  • Pursuant to the November 2012 Government Meeting’s Decision No.10/GoL, dated 23 Dec 2011;
  • Pursuant to Proposal of Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry No.0756/MAF dated on 21 May 2012.

The Government issues the following Decree

Chapter 1
GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1.         Purpose

This Decree sets out the principles, regulations, measures and methods for the prevention and control of animal diseases; to prevent, limit and finally eradicate animal epidemic diseases in Lao PDR in order to ensure healthy and productive livestock; and to ensure consumer safety, including the avoidance of negative socio-economic and environmental impacts.

Article 2.         Prevention and control of animal diseases

The prevention of animal disease refers to the application of disease prevention methods in any place of livestock production to prevent or reduce the risks of the introduction of animal diseases in order to ensure healthy animals, livestock production and consumer safety.

The control of animal disease refers to the application of animal disease control measures in any place of livestock production, or any specific designated area to limit and eradicate animal disease which has been introduced including clinical treatment, application of administrative measures, and emergency or specific animal disease eradication plans in Lao PDR.

Article 3.         Explanation of Terms

The terms used in this Decree have the following meanings:

Animal disease means clinical manifestation or sign or abnormal functioning of any organ, part or animal body system such as clinical or pathological diseases.

Animal infectious disease means animal disease which can be transmitted from animal to animal, and from animal to human as defined under Article 40 of the Law on Livestock Production and Veterinary Matters;

Animal non-infectious disease means animal disease which cannot be transmitted from animal to animal and from animal to human;

Place of livestock production means field, farm, pen, or other place used for livestock production;

Disease transmitting object means human, vertebrate, invertebrate animal, transport vehicle, and other objects capable of transmitting disease;

Animal suspected infection of animal epidemic disease means animal contacted with infected or dead animal from animal epidemic disease or contacted with Disease transmitting object;

Confirmation of disease introduction: means an official declaration of the Livestock and Veterinary Management Authority on the finding of pathogen causing disease basing on diagnosis from laboratory of animal disease analysis officially recognized by the Livestock and Veterinary Management Authority;

Application of measure: means the determination and application of legislation, standard, operating procedure to prevent or control animal disease;

Exotic animal disease: means a specific animal disease existing in other countries which has never occurred or existed in Lao PDR;

Disease-free zone means a zone designated clearly within the country and officially declared as a disease free zone and no occurrence of a disease in a certain period of time under the requirements specified by the OIE. Such zone shall strictly and effectively apply veterinary measures to control livestock production and use of animal products including transport of animal related items in order to ensure no disease occurs in the zone.

Buffer zone means a clearly designated area located outside the zone declared as animal disease-free or a specific animal disease outbreak zone. The buffer zone of an animal disease free zone is declared as the zone for surveillance and prevention of animal disease outbreak into the disease free zone. The buffer zone of an animal disease outbreak zone is the zone for surveillance and prevention of animal disease in order to control, limit the spread of disease to other zones, which are free from an outbreak of animal disease.

Animal quarantine means confinement of animals to have animal relaxed and fed as defined under paragraph 1, Article 48 of the Law on Livestock Production and Veterinary Matters for surveillance and research or for further inspection, testing or treatment.

Disinfection means the application of physical or chemical methods to kill or destroy the infectious or parasitic agents of animal diseases, which shall be conducted after washing, and cleaning unless under necessary circumstances, disinfection can be directly conducted.

Red Zone means the area where control measures for animal epidemic disease are strictly applied, inter alia, the area where there is animal epidemic disease outbreak,  the area where suspected or confirmed contamination of disease by an animal disease laboratory.

Yellow Zone means the area around a Red Zone established to closely monitor, surveillance animal disease by using measures based on the epidemiology of the disease.

Article 4. Basic Principles for Determining the Measures to Prevent and Control Animal Disease

Determining the measures to prevent and control animal disease shall be based on the following basic principles:

  1. Disease prevention and control measures shall:

  1. be applied to the extent necessary to protect animal health,

  2. be based on risk assessment and be proportional to such risk;

  3. be not more stringent than necessary to meet the objectives of this Decree and shall not create unnecessary barriers to trade; and

  4. shall not discriminate between domestic or foreign products or producers, nor among foreign countries Members where identical  similar conditions prevail.

  1. Recognize equivalent animal disease prevention and control measures of exporting countries where such measures can be demonstrated by the exporting country to have equivalent results to those of Lao PDR, or meets the appropriate level of protection of Lao PDR.

  2. Recognize foreign animal disease prevention and control measures where there has been a mutual agreement to this effect, and where such measures applied meet the level of risk protection required by Lao PDR.

Article 5.         Scope of Application

This Decree applies to all state organizations, agencies, local authorities, enterprises, livestock production groups and associations, individuals or legal entities relating to animal disease prevention and control, livestock and veterinary management in Lao PDR.

CHAPTER 2
DISEASE PREVENTION

Article 6. Animal Disease Prevention

Animal disease prevention shall take into account the following methods:

1. Appropriate livestock production facilities, good quality and sufficient feedstuff and water, minimizing the risks of the introduction of animal disease.

2. Regular vaccination for livestock

3. Surveillance and monitoring of livestock where there is a sign of sickness or a suspected disease infection which needs to be quarantined or isolated for the purpose of clinical treatment, killing or destruction in a timely manner.

Article 7. Developing the list of animal diseases

The Livestock and Veterinary Management Authority at central level shall develop a list of animal diseases based on the OIE list of notifiable diseases or any emerging or unknown diseases based on risk analysis. The list shall be regularly updated and widely published to the public.

Article 8.  Surveillance

The Livestock and Veterinary Management Authority at central level shall establish an appropriate system of surveillance, warning and disease traceability in advance, for listed diseases and which takes into account resources and capacities that are available such as data collection, dissemination, epidemiological data usage and information obtained through surveillance in order to update the list of animal diseases periodically.

The veterinary officer responsible for the surveillance shall prepare and submit the report on monitoring, inspection and surveillance for disease to the Livestock and Veterinary Management Authority at central level.

Where there is a report of an outbreak of a listed disease, the veterinary officer and inspector shall do the following:

(a) carry out inspections;

(b) take samples;

(c) identify the cause of an outbreak of listed diseases; and

(d) take disease prevention and control measures outlined in this Decree.

Article 9.  Vaccination

The Livestock and Veterinary Management Authority at central level shall adopt a vaccination scheme and set out specific regulations on vaccination based on existing epidemiological information and the disease status of the area in order to determine periodically the target areas, groups and types of veterinary drugs to be used taking into account the areas or localities at risk from the spreading of a disease, areas for livestock development, or animal production for export.

Any type of vaccines used for animal disease must be authorized, inspected and regularly monitored by the Livestock Production and Veterinary Management Authority.  The user of vaccine shall strictly follow the instruction of producer attached with the product.

CHAPTER 3
ANIMAL DISEASE CONTROL

Article 10.       Declaration of an Outbreak of Animal Disease

Where the declaration of a disease outbreak zone is confirmed by the veterinary inspector of the Livestock Production and Veterinary Management Authority in accordance with Article 43 of the Law on Livestock Production and Veterinary Matters, the Livestock Production and Veterinary Management Authority in coordination with local authorities, where the disease outbreak takes place,  shall issue the declaration for the public as follows:

  1. Limit the infected areas or Red or Yellow Zones;
  2. Assign the duties of relevant individuals, organizations in the area or Zones.
  3. Prohibit the sale, transport, movement of animals and animal products within or outside the declared animal disease outbreak Zones

Article 11 Application of Animal Disease Control Measures and Establishment of Animal Disease Free Area.

Application of animal disease control measures shall be compliant with Article 39 of the Law on Livestock Production and Veterinary Matters, the OIE recommendations, and the strategic eradication plan for animal disease outbreak.

The Livestock Production and Veterinary Management Authority shall set out specific regulations on the establishment of the animal disease free zone.

Article 12.       Control of animals infected or suspected of being infected

Where the veterinary officer of the Livestock Production and Veterinary Management Authority receives a report as defined in the Article 41 of the Law on Livestock Production and Veterinary Matters, he or she shall take the following control measures:

  • investigate the situation and take samples for testing;
  • limit the area for the animal, prohibit the movement of animal products or order that the animal is placed in quarantine or isolation;
  • treat the animal or require the owner of the animal to treat it or have it treated;
  • destroy the animal infected with untreatable or epidemic disease and destroy the animal contaminated with epidemic disease.
  • take any other control measures as prescribed by specific regulations.

Where there is suspicion of an animal infected with epidemic disease, the Livestock Production and Veterinary Management Authority may implement interim prohibitions, on the movement of animals, animal products, animal commodities, animal-related items and any other object in contact with animals suspected of disease. Such interim prohibitions shall be in effect until official laboratory findings are issued which either confirm the presence or absence of a listed disease.

Where laboratory findings are issued which confirm the presence of a listed disease, the veterinary officer shall notify the person in charge immediately and implement emergency plans of the Livestock Production and Veterinary Management Authority, and the veterinary officer shall also follow Articles 10 and 11 of this Decree strictly. 

When taking and transporting samples from animals and animal products including carcasses or whole animals which are suspected of being infected with disease, such samples must be packaged, labeled and secured in accordance with the prescribed requirements of the Livestock Production and Veterinary Management Authority. Animal pens, holding areas, surrounding areas, transportation vehicles, tools and equipment or any other object contaminated or suspected of being contaminated by any infectious agent must be cleaned, disinfected or otherwise disposed of in accordance with the prescribed procedures;

Article 13.       Animal Disease Control in the Red Zone

Where there has been a Declaration as a disease outbreak zone, the veterinary inspector of the Livestock Production and Veterinary Management Authority shall, in collaboration with province, district, municipality and village levels, closely monitor and apply animal disease control measures in accordance with Article 11 of this Decree and also follow the procedures as below:

(a) Set up control points for animals, animal products, animal commodities and animal-related items to carry out inspections and disinfection of vehicles coming into and going out of the Red Zone.

(b) Take samples and send them to the official laboratory to identify the nature of the outbreak.

(c) Issue an order to prohibit the movement of animals, animal products, animal commodities, animal-related items

(d) Carry out surveillance to track the evolution of the disease and identify all relevant risk factors.

(d)Isolate or quarantine infected animals or order the animal owner or person-in-charge to isolate or pen other animals in appropriate enclosures.

(f) Order the animal owner or person-in-charge to set up a disinfection point at the entry or exit points of the premises where the animals are found, for both infected animals and healthy flock.

(g) Destroy infected animals which cannot be treated.

The measures taken in the Red Zone by the Authority shall continue to be implemented until the Declaration of disease outbreak zone is cancelled.

The measures to be taken in the Red Zone shall be publicized through radio, newspaper and other appropriate media, and village veterinary workers shall, to the extent possible, provide information to animal owners and persons in charge of the measures to be carried out within their villages.

Article 14.       Animal Disease Control in the Yellow Zone

Where there has been a Declaration as a controlled and monitored zone for animal disease outbreak, the veterinary inspector of the Livestock Production and Veterinary Management Authority shall, in collaboration with province, district, municipality and village levels, surveillance closely and apply animal disease control measures and procedures in accordance with Articles 11 and 12 of this Decree, except the establishment of control points and destruction of infected disease animal.

A ring vaccination campaign for healthy animals may be carried out in the Yellow Zone where needed to prevent the spread of the disease.

The measures to be taken in the Yellow Zone shall be publicized through radio, newspaper and other appropriate media, and village veterinary workers shall, to the extent possible, provide information to animal owners and persons in charge, of the measures to be carried out within their villages.

Article 15.       Cancellation of a disease outbreak zone

Where there is a significant reduction in the risk of infection, thirty days after the last infected animal has fully recovered, and there is no further sickness or death of an animal, and where the animal disease control procedures as provided for under Article 13 for the Red Zone and Article 14 for the Yellow Zone have been strictly implemented, the Livestock Production and Veterinary Management Authority shall recommend the organization in charge of issuance the animal disease outbreak declaration as defined under Article 43 of the Law on Livestock Production and Veterinary Matters to cancel the Declaration.

Article 16.       Destruction and disposal of diseased animals

A veterinary officer may destroy or dispose of any animal suffering or suspected of suffering from a disease in a Red or Yellow Zone in order to prevent the spread of disease.

A veterinary officer may issue an order in writing, requiring the owner or person in charge of a diseased animal to destroy of the animal, animal product containing the disease or pathogen or any other object that has been in contact with the diseased animal, disease or pathogen.

Any animal destroyed under this Decree or which dies as the result of a disease, shall be burnt or buried in accordance with veterinary technical requirements and instruction issued by the veterinary officer.

Article 17.       Compensation

The Livestock Production and Veterinary Management Authority may develop an appropriate system of compensation if there is destruction or disposal of animal, animal product containing the disease or pathogen or any other object that has been in contact with the diseased animal, disease or pathogen, which can spread disease as defined under this Decree.

Article 18.  Notification to the OIE and neighboring countries

Upon the confirmation issued by official laboratory findings and the animal disease outbreak has been declared, the Livestock Production and Veterinary Management Authority shall notify the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) immediately through the appropriate procedures.

Where the outbreak is in a district bordering another country, the Livestock Production and Veterinary Management Authority shall notify the relevant authorities in the bordering country.

Article 19.  Obligations of animal owners and persons-in-charge of animals

Any animal owner or person in charge of animals shall:-

  1. Ensure the animal holdings comply with Regulations;
  2. Report on number of animals in total, animal that are sick, and animal that die, accordingly;
  3. Implement biosecurity plans and measures established by the Livestock Production and Veterinary Management Authority, and any direction or order given by the veterinary officer to contain the spread of the disease, or destroy or dispose of the animal or animal product as directed;
  4. Where an animal is infected or suspected of being infected with a disease, isolate such animal from the rest of the flock and immediately report the situation to the nearest veterinary officer of the Livestock Production and Veterinary Management Authority in order to conduct health inspection;
  5. Conduct clinical treatment in accordance with the veterinary technical requirements and recommendations of veterinary officer;
  6. Cooperate with veterinary officers and inspectors of the Livestock Production and Veterinary Management Authority to carry out animal disease prevention and control measures;
  7. Perform other duties as defined in relevant laws and regulations.

Article 20.       Duty to report

If animal owners or persons in charge of animals observe multiple animals becoming sick or dying over a period of time and those animals display signs of disease, such owners or persons in charge must notify immediately the veterinary officer or inspector of the closest Livestock Production and Veterinary Management Authority.

The village veterinary worker, Head of the village, veterinary officer or veterinary inspector so notified must notify other animal owners and persons in charge of animals in neighboring areas and shall notify the Livestock Production and Veterinary Management Authority at district and municipality level in accordance with authority’s mandates as set out in Chapter 4 of this Decree.

In the event that the disease is found to be a zoonosis, the Livestock Production and Veterinary Management Authority at the central level shall report on such findings to the public health sector within twenty-four hours of such official laboratory confirmation.

Article 21.       Prohibitions

No animal owner and person in charge of animal shall:

  1. consume, sell or distribute any part of an infected animal;
  2. sell a live animal or the carcass or any part of an infected animal;
  3. move live animals or animal products, animal carcasses or parts thereof, commodities, animal-related items, fecal matter and any contaminated material either into or out of the Red Zone or without disinfection and authorization in writing issued by veterinary officer or inspector into or out of the Yellow Zone;
  4. drain sewage effluent from a farm or premises where there is an infected animal without any disinfection and treatment in accordance with technical and prescribed requirements;
  5. dispose of carcass, animal, animal product, animal commodity or animal related item which came into contact with infected animal in the public area and other place except as prescribed place;

CHAPTER 4
Administration for Animal Disease Prevention and Control

Article 22.       The Animal Disease Prevention and Control Administration Authority

The Animal Disease Prevention and Control Administration Authority is the same as the Livestock Production and Veterinary Management Authority which composed of the following:

  1. Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, through the primary responsibility of the Department of Livestock and Fisheries;
  2. Provincial, Vientiane Capital Agriculture and Forestry Office (PAFO) through the primary responsibility of the Livestock and Fisheries Divisions;
  3. Municipal/District Agriculture and Forestry Office (DAFO) through the primary responsibility of the Livestock and Fisheries Units;
  4. Task Forces;
  5. Village Livestock And Veterinary Unit.

Article 23.       Rights and Duties of the Ministry of Forestry and Agriculture

For animal disease prevention and control, MAF has the following rights and duties:

  1. Provide technical and policy direction for provincial and capital levels of the Livestock Production and Veterinary Management Authority;
  2. Develop any technical measure, policy or any technical decision-making required for implementation of this Decree;
  3. Create favourable conditions for animal disease prevention and control;
  4. Analyze, assess and evaluate on the risk of animal disease prevention and control;
  5. Supervise and audit the activities of the forestry and agriculture office in province, capital, district and municipality levels, taskforce, and village livestock production and veterinary unit;
  6. Set up local or temporary veterinary checkpoints in coordination with relevant sectors, in the case of animal disease outbreak;
  7. Promote or demote veterinary officer or inspectors in coordination with relevant authorities;
  8. Develop a system of animal disease prevention and control as prescribed in this Decree;
  9. Coordinate with the authorities at all levels in surveillance and monitoring on animal disease prevention and control.
  10. Issue guidelines for the operation of quarantine stations and other facilities.
  11. Update and revise measures to prevent and control animal disease in order to ensure the quality of animal disease control.
  12. Develop and disseminate legislation on the animal disease prevention and control.
  13. Collaborate with foreign countries and international organizations with a mandate in animal disease prevention and control.
  14. Liaise with the central authorities responsible for animal disease prevention and control.
  15. Coordinate with relevant international and domestic stakeholders for the training of veterinary officers and inspectors.
  16. Organize awareness-raising and training activities regarding the animal disease prevention and control.
  17. Perform other tasks regulated in the law of Lao PDR.

Article 24.       Rights and Duties of the Authority at PAFO level

In the animal disease prevention and control, the authority at the PAFO level has the following rights and duties:

  1. Implement the technical measures and policies required for the animal disease prevention and control developed by MAF;
  2. Assist with the monitoring of the transport and movement of animal, animal product, material containing the disease or pathogen, or any other object that has been in contact with the diseased animal, disease or pathogen, which can spread diseases into or out of the Red or Yellow Zones;
  3. Provide information and reports to the Livestock and Veterinary Management Authority at central level regarding their tasks as defined in this Decree ;
  4. Carry out surveillance, and monitor and report on outbreaks of animal diseases in accordance with the surveillance plan of the Livestock and Veterinary Management Authority at central level;
  5. Supervise, monitor and coordinate within their mandate, the DAFO that are within the province, for the animal disease prevention and control;
  6. Develop province-level regulations, disseminate any legislation on the animal disease prevention and control, and provide advice regarding the implementation of such regulations;
  7. Liaise with province-level authorities which have responsibilities for the animal disease prevention and control;
  8. Coordinate with other relevant authorities at central level for the training of the veterinary officers on animal disease prevention and control;
  9. Organize awareness-raising and training activities;
  10. Perform other tasks regulated in the law of Lao PDR

Article 25.       Rights and Duties of the Authority at DAFO level

In animal disease prevention and control, the authority at DAFO level has the following rights and duties:

  1. Implement the technical measures and policies required for the animal disease prevention and control within their mandate in accordance with the instruction of PAFO level;
  2. Assist with the monitoring of the transport and movement of animals, animal products, material containing the disease or pathogen, or any other object that has been in contact with the diseased animal, disease or pathogen, which can spread diseases into or out of the Red or Yellow zone;
  3. Supervise and monitor within their mandate, the village Livestock Production and Veterinary units that are within the district, for the animal disease prevention and control;
  4. Liaise with the district and municipality-level authorities which have responsibilities for the animal disease prevention and control;
  5. Coordinate with other relevant authorities, at district and municipality level for the training of the veterinary officers;
  6. Organize awareness-raising and training activities;
  7. Disseminate any legislation on animal disease prevention and control, and provide advice regarding the implementation of such regulations;
  8. Perform other tasks regulated in the law of Lao PDR.

Article 26.       Taskforce

The taskforce for the animal disease prevention and control is one unit established by the Livestock Production and Veterinary Authority through the coordination with the local authorities for the purpose of communicating and ordering implementation of the necessary measures in order to control an outbreak of the animal epidemic disease. The taskforce shall also act as a main authority for investigating the cause of the disease outbreak so that the outbreak of the animal disease can be controlled in a timely manner.

Article 27.       Rights and Duties of village livestock production and units

In animal disease prevention and control, the village livestock production and units have the following rights and duties:

  1. Regularly report and provide information on the animal disease prevention and control to DAFO;
  2. Carry out surveillance and report on the occurrence of animal disease to DAFO.
  3. Organize awareness-raising and training activities.
  4. Perform other tasks regulated in the law of Lao PDR.

CHAPTER 5
FINAL PROVISIONS

Article 28.       Implementation

This Decree shall be implemented by MAF through the collaboration with ministries, ministry -equivalent organizations, and local authorities.

Article 29.       Entry into force

This Decree replaces the Decree on the Control of Animal Epidemic Disease No. 206/PM, dated 27 July 2007.

This Decress comes into force one hundred and eighty days after its signature. Any provisions that contradict Decree shall be null and void

Government
PM
Asang LAOLEE (acting)

 

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